Cray Chronicles Origins
by Foolscapper
Summary: A spin-off series based on my fanfiction Cray Chronicles. Enjoy the tales of the various warriors of Planet Cray.
1. Dragonic Lawkeeper

**LAW OF THE BATTLEFIELD**

The Dragon Empire. A nation whose very existence revolved around war and strife. It was their belief that the entirety of Planet Cray rightfully belonged to them, and it was this belief that caused them to endlessly wage war against the other nations.

Year 594 of the Cray Calendar. A troop of Kagerou soldiers were patrolling the Eastern border of their land when they discovered a wounded knight alone in the barren wasteland. Amongst them was a young dragon by the name of Dragonic Crusader.

The highest-ranked member of their group, a dragon who went by the name of Blockade, was overcome with glee at the sight of the injured Paladin.

He had been temporarily barred from operations outside of the Empire due to an incident where his recklessness had resulted in the deaths of several of his men. As a result, he had not partaken in war for several months, and he was itching to once again feel the sensation of human flesh getting crushed between his claws, and filling his nostrols with the sweet scent of their blood.

To him, the man was nothing more than prey.

"You there! Human! Identify yourself!" Blockade barked as he led his troops towards the dune where the man rested.

Crusader was impressed as the man turned to face them without a single trace of fear and smiled. "I am but a humble knight of the Royal Paladins. But today, I stand before you not as an enemy of war, but as a mere traveller."

Blockade sneered. "Foolish human. It matters not who you are! Be it a knight, or a traveller, I'll kill you all the same!"

Just as he was about to attack, Crusader intervened, stepping between the two. "Wait, Commander. This man has committed no crime. And his injuries prevent him from even challenging us. Can we not just let him go? Without assistance from his comrades, nothing shall stop him from dying out here alone."

Blockade's eyes narrowed. "Have you gone mad, rookie? The Paladins are the eternal enemy of our race. Have you forgotten that it is our destiny to rule over all of Planet Cray?"

"Killing this man here is not going to grant us conquest of more land, Commander."

"Are you defying me? You may carry the name 'Dragonic', but my seniority in this army far outweighs yours. I could have you imprisoned for insubordination."

"This is wrong, Commander. I know it." Crusader gestured at the other soldiers for support, but they all ignored him.

None of them wanted to be involved.

"What could possibly be wrong with eliminating an enemy in the name of war?" Blockade seethed.

"This isn't war. This is murder." Crusader replied. "Even on the battlefield, there is a law that must be kept with pride."

"I've had enough of your babbling, traitor!"

Blockade unleashed a torrent of raging flames from his maw.

Crusader prepared to evade, but then he realised that the wounded knight had no means of avoiding a searing death.

Turning swiftly, he endured the blast as he grabbed the knight in his claws and took flight.

"Go after him!" Blockade barked but his soldiers refused to obey.

He cursed. But a plan was already formulating in his mind.

It was time for a meeting with the Overlord.

…

Crusader soared to the edges of the Dragon Empire territory, to a place where he knew a Royal Paladin outpost lay just across the border.

Laying the knight onto the sand, he said. "This is as far as I can take you. You must leave at once. Use all of your strength. The others will be coming for me soon."

"You have my gratitude," answered the knight. "But why did you save me?"

"There is no meaning in defeating a wounded opponent. I am not one who believes in mindless slaughter. It is unhealthy for the soul."

Much to Crusader's surprise, the knight guffawed. "I would not have such noble words coming from a dragon such as yourself. It is most amusing. Tell me your name, dragon, so that I may one day repay this great debt."

"My name is Dragonic Crusader."

"I am the Knight of Tribulations, Galahad. Farewell, and may the sun shine upon you."

"And you."

After Galahad departed, Crusader returned to the Capital, where a vast force of soldiers awaited him.

He surrendered without a word.

…

The next day, Crusader was dragged in chains to the Colisseum. Long ago it was a glorious place that existed to celebrate the thrill of combat. Now, it was a dark place of execution.

A large crowd of dragons, dragonmen and humans had gathered. All to observe the death of the traitor.

Crusader was left kneeling on the ground next to where Dragonic Executioner stood, in the center of the arena of which all had a clear view.

"Silence."

Just then, the Dragonic Overlord arrived at the stadium, beating his wings methodically as he descended into the throne that had been constructed at the very apex of the structure.

"As Overlord of the Dragon Empire, I now declare the opening of the trial for Dragonic Crusader."

Upon hearing his words, Blockade furiously objected from the audience. "My liege! The dragon who kneels before you now is nothing but a traitor! A trial is not necessary! Kill him at once!"

The Overlord was not amused. "Are you questioning me..?"

Blockade shuddered under the tyrant's stare. "No.. my liege.."

Satisfied, the Overlord continued. "This trial shall entail combat between Dragonic Crusader and Blockade. And the defeated, will be imprisoned."

Frustrated and angered at the current turn of events, Blockade leaped into the ring. "Are you prepared, traitor?"

Dragonic Crusader rose as his shackles were removed. He too was surprised by the Overlord's sudden declaration. But now that he had a chance, he was not going to be jailed without a fight.

"Weapons, flames and flight are not allowed. The duel shall only end when one surrenders or is unable to continue. FIGHT!"

Neither of the dragons reacted at the Overlord's shout. The two circled around the rim of the arena, watching, sizing each other up.

Blockade made the first move. Dashing, he slashed violently with his claws.

Crusader ducked under the blow, then lashed out with a low sweeping kick.

Blockade staggered as he struggled to maintain balance.

Not wanting to give his opponent the opportunity to recover, Crusader unleashed a volley of hooks.

But Blockade skillfully avoided the assault by tilting his head.

Regaining his footing, Blockade made full use of his long arms with a wide slap.

Crusader stopped the attack at Blockade's wrist, but was unable to prevent the long scythe-like claws from gouging into his cheek.

Blockade grinned at the sight of first blood.

Distracting Crusader with an unexpected swipe from his other hand, he kicked out at Crusader's chest.

Crusader staggered.

Seeing his chance, Blockade flung himself forward with his claws extended.

But Crusader was ready.

Grabbing Blockade in mid-air, he slammed him into the ground.

And with nowhere to run, Blockade could only watch as Crusader's brutal fist rushed towards his face.

No. There was something he could do.

Gaping his mouth wide open, Blockade retaliated with a sudden burst of flames.

Crusader roared in agony as he fell, clutching at his charred face.

Blockade laughed triumphantly as he stood before his prey, hand poised to deliver the final blow.

SNICK.

A massive sword sliced through Blockade's torso.

The sword of the Overlord.

And as Blockade toppled over, the Overlord offered a hand to Crusader.

"My liege.." Crusader was at a loss for words. "Why?"

"Flames were forbidden. He rejected honour in favour of victory, and thus he shall pay the price."

"I.. but why was I given this chance? Why did you not kill me as a traitor?"

"Because you are no traitor. Unlike most of the lizards who proclaim themselves to be dragons, you are not a mindless killing machine. You have pride. The pride of a true dragon. And I want you to join me. Join me in salvaging this nation and making it a land that we dragons can truly be proud of."

Crusader dipped his head low in reverence. "Absolutely, my liege. I shall never forget your kindness. I shall swear to you my allegiance and my undying loyalty."

"But for your new lease of life, you shall require a new name. A stronger name."

"I shall accept whatever you deem fit, my liege."

"Then.. henceforth, you shall be known as Lawkeeper.

Dragonic Lawkeeper."


	2. Flash Shield, Iseult

**THE HARP AND THE SHIELD**

Ages ago, before 'nations' and 'Clans' even existed, an evil force threatened to engulf the world. The people ran and hid in fear, there was nothing they could do to stop the approaching darkness except pray. But pray to what, they didn't know.

In that time of ultimate despair, 'he' appeared. The Original Saver, Zero.

Wielding the 12 'Blaster' artifacts, he destroyed the darkness and brought the light back to the world.

Their task complete, 11 of the artifacts scattered to the wind, leaving only the Blaster Blade as a testament to the hero's courage.

But no one remembers him anymore.

Not a single soul.

…

Iseult was born and raised in the Capital of the United Sanctuary. For as long as she could remember, her dream had been to become a member of the Royal Paladins. And for as long as she could remember, accompanying her on that dream had been her childhood friend, Tristan.

The two had applied to join the knights on the same day. They had underwent the orientation examination on the same day. They had graduated from the Academy on the same day. And they had been inducted into the Sixth Squadron on the same day.

Since the very beginning, Iseult had shown great promise in the fields of combat. Her swordsmanship was consistently exceptional, a far cry from Tristan, who was not particularly weak per say, but he wasn't particularly strong either.

Tristan's talents had always laid in the world of music. The enchanting melodies of his harp never failed to amaze and raise the spirits of his comrades, and his performances at the market always made the girls swoon.

He was truly a master of the fine arts.

Sometimes Iseult wondered why he had even joined her in the Royal Paladins.

One fine summer's day, the Sixth Squadron was serving as an escort for Princess Elaine on a visit to the ruins of an abandoned castle that had once been home to the elves.

"Iseult. Tristan." The Captain of the Sixth Squadron, Bors spoke. "These ruins haven't been inhabited in years. Some renegades or beasts may have taken refuge in them. I want you two to scout ahead for any danger. The Princess' safety is of utmost importance."

"Yes, Captain!" They replied in unison.

Used to working with each other, the pair swiftly covered every single nook and cranny in the dark interior of the castle. But just as they were about to report to the Captain..

BOOM.

"Woah!" Without warning, the stone floor beneath Iseult's feet cracked and shattered instantaneously.

"ISEULT!"

Tristan impulsively leaped in after her.

But what he found made him gasp.

A chamber with walls made of pure gold. It seemed to be a library of sorts, with silver books lining uncountable numbers of rectangular hollows slotted into the very walls themselves. Archaic hieroglyphs and letterings decorated the pillars and edges of the room.

And in the middle of it all was Iseult unconscious on the ground. Her arm lay on top of what seemed to be a massive shield but the very metal of the shield itself seemed to have latched onto her fingers and was now slowly consuming her arm, crawling upwards with every moment.

Uncertain of what to do, Tristan yelled. "Captain! Captain!"

It wasn't long before the Knight of Conviction arrived, accompanied by both Elaine and his second-in-command, Gallatin.

"Unbelievable.." whispered Bors as he approached the unmoving form of Iseult.

Then, cautiously, he placed his hands on the shield.

ZAP!

A surge of energy made him recoil. But it hadn't been just any surge of energy. He had witnessed the colour of that light many times before.

"The Blaster Blade.." Turning to his companions, the Captain barked. "Gallatin! Tell the rest of the men to get ready. We return to the Capital at once! My humble apologies your Highness, but it seems that we must postpone your visit. There are more pressing matters to attend to."

"I understand," she nodded.

…

Upon the Sixth Squadron's arrival at the Capital, Iseult was quickly handed over to Blaster Blade, who brought her to the lair of Exculpate, ruler over the power of 'Blaster'.

Tristan, Bors and Gallatin waited at the entrance of the cavern. The Knight of the Harp was pacing endlessly, the thundering noise of the waterfall did nothing to calm his nerves.

After a few minutes, Blaster Blade returned.

"Where is Iseult? Is she okay?" Tristan demanded.

"Calm down, Tristan," reprimanded Bors. "Let him speak."

"It is as you suspected, Bors," Blaster Blade began. "That artifact on the girl's arm is indeed a weapon that possesses the power of 'Blaster'. The Blaster Shield. But it has been many ages since it last saw the light of day, and its power has drained dangerously, transforming it into a cursed weapon. Even now it grows, seeking to consume the girl's life force for itself. It is no longer a weapon worthy of the title of 'Blaster'."

Despair showed on Tristan's face. "So Iseult is.. going to die?"

"No." Blaster Blade shook his head. "Using his powers, it is possible for Exculpate to halt the weapon's growth. But removing the weapon is another matter altogether. That shield will most likely remain on her arm.. for the rest of her life."

Iseult was never the same after that day.

With her hands coated by the shield's metal, she found it all but impossible to wield a sword, much less swing it.

Yet, furious and determined, she continued to train each day under Tristan's watchful eye. The despair and rage in her heart grew with each time a blade fell out of her grasp. She tried to learn how to use a sword in her left hand. But it was useless. The huge shield mounted onto her arm restricted her movements so much that she could only dream of fighting with her old level of competency.

As the days passed, her eyes darkened, and she slowly began shunning others. No one, not even Tristan, was able to help her.

The only thing that Iseult could see was darkness.

And so the fateful day came that she left the Sanctuary.

With nothing but a small bag of food and water, she trudged across the land without stopping, unknowingly entering the lush jungles of the land known as Zoo.

It was then that she was attacked by a Hell Spider.

The creature nimbly leaped from tree to tree, striking her with its multiple limbs and blasts of webbing.

Holding her sword unsteadily, Iseult struggled to repel the monster's attack, but she knew deep inside that death was approaching.

Death.

Perhaps that could be the solution to all her problems.

CLANG!

Her blade was sent flying.

Grinning maniacally, the Hell Spider approached her with the patience of a hunter who knew that its prey had no chance of escaping.

But suddenly, Tristan burst from the bushes with his light sword flashing. "Iseult! Run!"

He managed to get a few good slashes with his surprise attack before the Hell Spider savagely smashed him into the trunk of a nearby tree.

The monster reared on its hind legs, preparing to sink its mandibles into its prey.

At that moment, all the doubt, fear and pain vanished from Iseult's mind. The only thing that she could think about was that she had to protect Tristan. And that was exactly what she did.

Rushing forward, she raised the giant field in the monster's face.

There was a low hum and a powerful flash as the shield unleashed a circular wall of energy which sent the Hell Spider flying upon contact.

Not wanting to incur any more unnecessary damage, the creature scampered away.

Iseult sighed in relief as the magical shield dispersed.

"I didn't know you could do that," Tristan grinned despite the blood at the side of his lips.

"Neither did I," Iseult turned to face the battered form of her friend. "You idiot. I can't believe you did something so reckless. You should never have followed me."

"I couldn't have left you alone."

"You never make any sense. I don't even know why you decided to become a knight. You would be better off as a musician."

"Well, I became a knight because I wanted to be with you. That's all."

Iseult stared at Tristan for a while. There was no sign of any sarcasm or pretense on his face. He had just bluntly and simply stated the honest truth.

Just like always, she thought to herself.

She laughed.

Confused, Tristan asked. "What?"

"Idiot."

Then, much to his surprise, she gave him a light peck on the cheek and walked off.

She would never run away again. Even though she could no longer be a sword to smite the enemies of the Sanctuary, she could be a shield to protect the Sanctuary from invaders. And she would. Not just to protect the Sanctuary, but to protect the precious friends and comrades that she had made and that she would continue to make on her journey as a Royal Paladin. Her new powers would make sure of that.

And so, with a heart filled with determination and pride, she returned to her homeland as a knight. The knight of the Flash Shield.


	3. Solitary Knight, Gancelot

**SILVER WINGS OF THE FALLEN**

Gancelot. There was not a single knight in the Royal Paladins who did not know his name. A prodigy with the sword, he had risen the ranks at an astounding speed, taking his place in Pendragon's Royal Guard at the mere age of 15. By the time he was 18, he had already succeeded the prestigious name of Captain of the Royal Guard. A genius the likes of which was only seen once every thousand years.

Said to be even stronger than the King himself and the personal sparring partner of Blaster Blade, his presence always awed both friend and foe alike. Even the members of the Dragon Empire knew him as a man to be feared, the 'Demon of Silver WIngs'.

Despite his natural abilities, he was humble. But he shied away from human contact due to his introverted nature and usually locked himself up in his chambers when he was not away on missions.

But the one thing about him that stood out more than anything else.. was the fact that he never smiled. Or at least, not to his fellow knights.

And every seventh day of the week without fail, before the Sun could rise, he would take a pegasus from the castle's stables and fly East. And every seventh night of the week without fail, before the Sun could set, he would return.

No one ever questioned where he went. And no one ever knew..

…

Gancelot disembarked from his steed. Leading it into a small stable, he tethered it to a short wooden fence and left it there.

Leaving, he proceeded to a larger building right next to it. There was the clunk of steel boots as he entered the shack which was precariously balanced on a hilly outcrop that stretched out over a lake of the clearest water.

He headed straight for a room on the second floor and entered.

Inside it was a bed, and sitting on it was a woman staring out the window.

She was fair, and breathtaking gold hair swept down the back of her dove-white gown, painstakingly combed, the tips sparkling radiantly in the sunlight. Her eyes were a sparkling emerald green, and her lips were full and exquisitely pink. Truly a picture of utmost beauty.

"Fiona," Gancelot whispered with a smile.

The woman beamed at him. "Gancelot. You're here."

"I brought you a gift." Stepping forward, the silver-haired knight procured a ruby rose from his pocket. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Fiona took hold of the present with care and delight. "Thank you. It's lovely."

Without warning, her chest convulsed as she began hacking violently.

The ruby fell, smashing into a countless pieces.

"Fiona! Fiona!" Gripped by panic and fear, Gancelot grabbed her arm. "Are you alright? Say something!"

As the coughing fit subsided, she placed a hand on Gancelot's shoulder to reassure him. "I'm fine. The coughing has been getting worse lately. I'm sorry about your gift."

"Never mind about the gift! Are you sure that you are okay?"

"Yes. It's normal. Don't worry. I will be alright. No.. we will be alright."

Fiona lovingly caressed her belly which had been growing in size for many months.

The worry refused to fade from Gancelot's face. "I hope so."

"Gancelot."

The knight turned and found the Sage of Guidance, Zenon, standing by the doorway.

"May I have a word with you?" the sage asked.

"But of course." Gancelot rose. "I'll be back in a while, darling."

Fiona smiled. "I'll be waiting."

As Gancelot left, he closed the door and followed Zenon down the stairs.

"How is she, Master?" the knight questioned.

"I'm afraid that her condition is getting worse. I do not wish to be the bearer of bad news but I believe that you have the right to know this. She only has but a few days left in this world."

"Isn't there anything you can do?! Anything at all?!" Gancelot struggled to contain his emotions. "Please! There must be something!"

Zenon shook his head slightly. "My apologies. There is nothing I can do. This is the first time I have ever been faced with a disease like this. But.. I have heard of a powerful healer from the Angel Feather Clan. She goes by the name Ergodiel. Perhaps she might have a cure for Fiona's illness."

"That is all I need to know."

Without any hesitation, Gancelot's cape whirled behind him as he raced out of the door. FInding his pegasus, he swiftly departed for Angel Feather territory..

Arriving in the evening, he promptly demanded an audience with Ergodiel. Kiriel of the Circular Saw desperately tried to explain to him that Ergodiel's lair was sacred and forbidden to the knight but he would have none of it.

After a bout of vicious arguing, Gancelot went down on his hands and knees. "Please.. Fiona is everything to me.. I.. I cannot lose her.."

Kiriel's eyes softened. She sympathised with the man, but there were rules that could not be broken. Instead, she gave an order to one of her nurses.

Moments later, the nurse returned with a flask of a pinkish fluid.

Taking it, Kiriel handed it over to Gancelot. "I'm sorry that I cannot allow you to meet Ergodiel. But please, take this. It is a special medicine that we angels recently created. We call it Amoras. It means 'love'. We have never tried it before, but if your feelings for your wife are strong enough, I believe that this will be able to cure her."

Overcome with gratitude, the only thing that Gancelot could do was whisper an inaudible 'thank you' as he took the flask from her hands.

…

His heart filled with hope, Gancelot raced to Fiona's bedroom.

But when he saw Zenon hunched over the bed with sadness in his eyes, he knew that was something wrong.

"Fiona!" he yelled as he rushed to hold her.

Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was weak. Incredibly weak. Her skin, which had still been bright just the day before, was now pale and sickly.

"Gan..ce..lot.." she struggled to smile at the sight of her love.

"Just hold on! I have something that can save you!" He started to fumble for the flask on his belt, but Fiona raised a hand to stop him.

"No.. there is no need.. for that.. I can feel it.. nothing can stop this.."

"But!" Tears were streaming uncontrollably down Gancelot's face as he croaked. "Don't say that!"

"This is.. destiny.. Gancelot.. I.. I am.. really glad that I.. met you.."

"STOP SAYING SUCH THINGS!" Gancelot roared. The pain in his heart was unbearable. It felt like he had been pierced by the sharpest spear.

Tears began forming in Fiona's eyes. She blinked. "I love you.."

Gancelot embraced her tightly. It was as if he could feel her soul fading from her body. "I love you too.."

Her arms fell away from around him. He couldn't feel her anymore.

"Fiona?"

Silence.

"FIONAAA!"

All at once, all the sorrow and anguish showered him like a blizzard of arrows, rending his heart asunder. He felt like his blood had been set on fire, and he wanted to do everything he could to escape from the excruciating pain.

Stumbling out the door, he dashed down the stairs and out of the shack, falling onto the grass.

Thought it was not raining, the grass beneath him quickly became soaked. Before long, all of his sadness had transformed into irrepressible fury.

He tore at the soil, screaming at the injustice of the world. Screaming at the unfairness of fate. Screaming at the cruelty of destiny.

"Why.. why.. why.." he mumbled to himself over and over.

Then, finding that the flask of Amoras had fallen from his belt, he took it, and threw it on the ground with all the strength and rage he could muster.

It was proof of what he had lost. He had to destroy it.

Panting at the exertion, he held his head down low enough to touch the grass. The outburst had exhausted him, leaving his heart once again vulnerable to the ravages of misery and ultimate desolation.

Just then, a miracle happened.

At the very spot where Amoras had fallen, something rose from the ground.

A tree. But not just any tree. It's bark was the same colour as Fiona's skin, and it's leaves were the same colour as her hair.

This was the power of Gancelot's feelings.

And Gancelot cried.

He cried and cried and cried.

Until every last drop of his tears had dried up. Until his heart was dry and swollen. Until every last vestige of despair had been emptied from his soul. Until all that was left was emptiness.

Zenon approached the knight, cradling a bundle of cloth in his hands.

Gancelot stared.

A baby lay slumbering there.

"Before Fiona passed away.. she had one last request. She gave me the name for this child. She gave me the name for your child." The sage explained.

"My.. child..?" Gancelot muttered in a daze.

"Yes, your child. A girl. And her name is.. Salome."

"Salome.."

…

Night had fallen by the time Gancelot arrived at the isolated town of Reed. The place where he had met Fiona.. for the very first time.

Making his way to the orphanage, he placed a rattan basket at the doorway. A piece of parchment with the name 'Salome' scribbled in ink on top was placed above the blankets.

Turning, he took one last glance behind him. "I'm sorry.."

And so he left, never to return again.


End file.
